Process and apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk or the like



W. P. DREAPER.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK OR THE LIKE.

I APPLICATION FILED IAN-14,1922.

1,437,340. I Patented Nov. 28,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

W. P. DREAPER.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I4. I922.

1A37,340. Patented Nov. 2 8, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Nov. 28, 19221 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM roa'rnn pawns, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

:enocnss 4m) errmnrus ros. 'rnn manumcrunn or murmur. SILK oa'rnn LIKE.

Application filed January 14', 1922; Serial in. 529,340.

To allwho mit myconcem:

Be it known that 1', WILLIAM Pon'rrm I DRnArnR, a subject of the King-of Great Artificial S1 Britain, residing at London England, have invented a new and useful improved Process and Ap aratus for the Manufacture of k or the like. (for which I have made application for patents as follows:

in Great Britain, November 10, 1920, No.

31,854 of 1920, and Japan November 3, 1921, No. 74,120), of. which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates tothe manufacture of artificial silk,- and like artificial filaments or strands, more especially when such filamentsfor strands are to be converted into staple fibre by! a process of the kind wherein the filaments or strands are formed in' a precipitating bath,-as in the so-called vis'- cose process, and whereinthe solution of cellulose ora cellulose compound is forced through a jet into the precipitating bath and is then led out of the same and up over a air between theloose ends, in this manner godet wheel and thendown through an openguider tube into a centrifugal box which is set above the level of the bath, and the object of the present inventionisto improve the ordinar practice of manufacture so that it is possi 1e to manufacture both artifical silkv and staple fibre, economically by the centrifugal method of spinning. Also the strain to which the strands are subjected is materially reduced, and an excessive twisting of the fibre is avoided whereby a -fibre is obtained which, when out into staple lengths, will have sufiicient twisti to prevent the strands from unravellin when spun into yarn, but not sufiicient to interfere with cardinof the fibre. A further advantage in pro ucing staple fibres in-this manner is the production of fibres of uniform length which is impossible-in the use of fibres cut from a mass of waste material in which the, fibres are of various lengths. Cloth woven from yarn-made in this manner differs from thatmade. from continuous uncut fibres in that it has a thicker warmer feel due to the enclosure of simulating wool while at the same time having the lustre of silk. The production of fibre in staplelengths as herem.-set forth simplifies and cheapens the manufacture of suchyarn as compared with the use of waste which is difiicult to card and spin.

According to the present invention, for

ducing the speed of drawing oit' the strand the purpose of obviatin the rewindin of the strand inorder. to ring it into s ein form, the strand of filaments is wound into a centrifugal box of sufiiciently large-diamconvolutions are first secure at suitable intervals around the skein, for example, by cross lacing, and the skein then removed from the centrifu al box.

The strand durm reciprocated ra idl along a line parallel to the axis of t e ox, so as to give a result similar to that known as cross reeling in 7o 1 skein winding. This is advanordina ta 'ous y efl'ected by making the ider tu e for the strand or filament stationary .and-providingit at its lower end with-an durin the starting, thespeed being accelcrate after the spinning has been started. An advantageous method. of efl'ectin this consists in making the godet-wheel 0 conical form so that, without altering the speed.

at which this wheel is driven, the s eed of drawing oif can .be varied by moving the godet wheel axiall for example the godetwheel may be ma e'in the form of a t'runcated cone having a cylindrical extension at g each end. Y i

In the accompanying drawings 5- Figure 1 is an elevation partly in vertieali central section of ,a spinning plant suitable for carrying the present invention into practice, the godet wheel being looked at in the directlon of its axis;

Figure 2 shows the godet wheel separately looking in a direction at'right angles to that in Figure 1. p

Figure 3 shows a skein ready for removal from the centrifugal box.

Referring to the drawings, the strand A from the precipitating bath passes through a suitably supported guider B to the godet wheel which is preferably set directly at the end ofthe bath instead of some way above it as in ordinary practice. The strand is so eter to form a skein directlyawhereupon the I the time-it is being. a -wound 1n the centri ugal box, is preferably,

drawn over this by friction at the required rate and then falls dire'ctlyinto a centrifugal box which is suitably set under the guider.-

' at first and accelerated after actual sp nning has started. I

This type of godet is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, in which there is a conical part C having a cylindrical extension D at its smaller end and a cylindrical extension E at its'larger end. This godet slides axially on its driving shaft F and is prevented from turning relatively thereto by means of a cleaning or other purposes.

' This can be done by feather or other suitable known means. The godet is provided with an extension having an annular groove G in which runs a roller H mounted on a rod J whereby the godet can be brought into position to' bring the strand on to the small cylindrical extension D so as to feed the strand forward at a low speed for starting, or on to the large cylindrical extension so as to feed the strand forward at a higher speedfor normal Work. By this means the change from one speed to the other can be brought about gradually by simply moving the cone sideways on its driving shaft. In cases where such an axially movable conical godet is not employed, it is necessary to correspondingly move the guider B placed before it in order to obtain the same effect, but the former procedure is preferable. .Aga-in forconvenience the godet may be mounted on its driving spindle by means of a suitable clutch so that the driving spindle can turn freely therein when the attendant wishes to stop it temporarily for The open guider tubes which introduce the strands into the centrifugal boxes may be mounted on a common cross bar which is reciprocated vertically by cam mechanism so that the strandsmay be coiled equally on the centrifugal box.

I have however found it advantageous to work with a stationary open guider tube and a non-reciprocating centrifugal .box. using a.somewhat shorter fixed guider tube K (Figure 1) and fitting loosely over the lower end ,of this tube an outer and shorter tube L of suitable len h.- This outer tube is mounted on a bar suitably moved u and down for example through links N, so that it delivers the strand into the centrifugal box 0 ma similar manner to the ordinary moving guider. Thus the open guider and centrifuby the, means indicated is secured. The I movement of the outer tube is effected by c a1n mechanism and preferably a stream of liquid is continually passed down the open guider K see Figure 1, and thus also through the outer tube L, which passes on the strand into the centrifugal box, as in the specification of my former application for Letters Patent Serial No. 515378, November 15, 1921, see the jet P or P, Figure 1.

In order to eliminate the ordinary process of manufacture wherein the strand is first coiled into a cake and is then by a separate process wound into skein form, a centrifugal box 0 of increased diameter is used in conjunction with a different treatment 'of the strand, which is then collected in loops or circles of such a'diameter that these correspond in size to those present in ordinary practice. Thus there is not produced a cake of strand in a centrifugal box of about 5 inches diameter as in the ordinary practice, but-a coil of strand in a centrifugal box of for example 15 inches diameter. The larger centrifugal box is preferably supported on a table fixed directly to the driving shaft. Having collected a suitable amount of this strand in this special box, and having made certain that the open guider is actuated in such a manner that, as the strand is coiled, it travels rapidly from side to side of the mass of coiled strand, a result is obtained WlllCh corresponds to what is known as cross reeling in ordinary skein winding. The coil of strands is then carefully cross laced, in for example, three equidistant places as shown in Figure 3, before lifting it from the box, and in this way itis ensured that the relative position of the strands remains fixed during subsequent operations. Alternatively, there is gently introduced, for example three suitable clips which pass in front of and behind the coil at B in Figure 3 so that the circle of wound orcoiled strand is temporarily held in say three equidistant places while the coil is removed from the box. In this last case the coil is then cross laced near each of the clips which coil then becomes a skein. The temporary clips are then removed. This method of working is especially useful where filaments are collected which are, in a final I operation of manufacture, cut up into short lengths to produce staple fibre.

reciprocatory guider.

2. An apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk staple fibre and like artificial filaments, said apparatus comprising a godet wheel, a stationary guider tube having its upper end funnel shaped, means for supplying liquid continuously to the interiorof the stationary guider tube, a reciprocatory guider below said guider tube, and a centrifugal box to receive the filaments from the reciprocatory guider. Y

3. A process for the manufacture of staple fibre from strands of artificial silk which may be easily carded and spun, consisting in that the strand of filaments is wound into a centrifugal box of sufiicientl large diameter to form a skein directly with a relatively low degree of twist, whereupon the convolutions are secured at intervals around the skein, the skein removed from the centrifugal box, dried and cutoif into short lengths to form staple fibre.

4. A process for the manufacture of artificial silk, staple fibre and like artificial filaments, consisting in that the strand of filaments is wound into a centrifugal box initially at a low rate of speed which is gradually increased to the normal rate of splnnin'g by moving the path of the strand, and a conical godet wheel having a cylindrical extension at each end relatively to each other, the centrifugal box being of sufiiciently large diameter to form a skein" directly, whereupon the convolutions are secured at intervals around the skein, and the skein removed from the centrifugal box.

5. A process for the manufacture of staple .fibre from strands of artificial silk and like artificial filaments which may be easily carded, consisting in that the strand of filaments passes over a godet wheel through a longitudinally reciprocatin guider tube through which a current 0 liquid is continuously passed, the strand then passing into a centrifugal box of sufiiciently large.

diameter to form a skein directly, whereupon the convolutions are secured at intervals around the skein, and the skein removed from the centrifugal box dried and cut into short lengths to form staple fibre.

6. An apparatus for the manufacture of artificial Sllk, staple fibre and like artificial filaments, said apparatus comprising a' odet wheel, a reciprocating lower guider tu e, a stationary upper guider tube, a funnel at the top of said upper guider tube, and'acentrifual box of sufiiciently large diameter to form a skein directly.

'7. An apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk, staplefibre and like artificial filaments, said apparatus comprising a godet-wheel, a reclprocating lower guider tube, an upper guider-tube, a funnel at the top of said upper guider tube, means for supsaid unnel, and a centrifugal box of sufii-- ciently large diameter to form a skein directly.

8. An apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk staple fibre and like artificial filaments, said apparatus comprising a godetwheel made in the form of a truncated cone with a cylindrical extension at each end, means for moving said odet-wheel axially, a reciprocating guider tu e, means for supplying liquid to the interior of said guidertube, and a centrifugal box of sufficiently large diameter to form a skein directly.

9. An apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk, staple fibreand like artificial filaments said apparatus comprising a godet wheel having'a conical surface arran ed with its upper'surfacein substantially t e same horizontal plane as the exit end of the precipitating bath, means for moving said godet wheel axially, a reciprocating lower guider tube, an upper guider tube, a funnel at the top of said upper guider tube, means for supplying a current of liquid to the interior of.

WILLIAM PORTER DREAPER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM Pmaoa', JAB. G. MORAE. 

